Pencil pushers

The $6.4 bln office-supplies chain is in talks with private-equity shops about a possible deal. Even if a new owner could stop profit from falling, use ample debt and extract dividends, the return math looks shaky. And it would be crazy to count on reviving an Office Depot merger.

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Context News

Office supplies retailer Staples is in talks with private-equity firms about a possible sale, Reuters reported on April 4 citing unnamed people familiar with the discussions, confirming an earlier report by the Wall Street Journal.